FR2659550A1 - Massage apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The massage apparatus comprises a mat having massage cells (1) arranged in several lateral and vertical rows and fixed on a cloth (2) or the like in such a way as to be vibrated individually, and a device (5) for controlling the massage cells and capable of varying the massage surface, the intensity of the massage, and the operating time.

Description

The present invention relates to a massage apparatus for massaging the

  required part of the body during the desired time by means of massage cells, under the control of a control unit, this apparatus being arranged and fixed in the manner of a flat belt. Ordinarily, a massage device or kneader massages different parts of the human body while it is moved by hand in a back-and-forth motion up and down Another device is fitted on the backrest of a chair and the person leans on it or tightly secures his body in another way, and then starts the kneader to vibrate as a whole, thereby producing an effect

massage.

  In the first case, it is stunning for a person to move the device around the different places Apart from this, the result is nothing less than satisfactory, because the massed area is limited In the second case, it is possible to To enlarge the massed area But the massed area is limited to the same fixed part and the efficiency gradually decreases, as the sensitivity of a person dulls in this part over time In addition, this way to have the disadvantage that the person can not limit the

  massage to a desired single part of her body.

  The present invention therefore aims to provide a massage apparatus of which any part or parts, or even all, can be selectively set in motion in a predetermined sequence and during the lapse of time

  wanted, which guarantees a great efficiency of the massage.

  This object can be achieved by a massage apparatus comprising a massage kneading carpet having a multiplicity of massage cells, and a control device for controlling the massage cells respectively, wherein the massage cells are arranged in several rows. lateral and vertical, wrapped in fabric or synthetic leather and assembled by seams in the manner of a flat panel, these cells respectively comprising a support frame and a motor, the motor being fixed on an inner part of the support frame and being provided with an eccentric weight attached to his shaft. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller of the massage apparatus comprises a timer circuit for controlling the power supply time, a mode selection circuit for selecting a sequential mode of operation or a mode of operation. of continuous operation, a control signal generating circuit for generating signals as a function of the output signals of the timer circuit, the mode selection circuit and an incorporated program, and a switch circuit for powering / de-energizing of

  the power supply of the massage cells.

  In another embodiment of the present invention, the control device of the massage apparatus contains an intensity control circuit of the present invention.

  massage to control the intensity of the massage.

  In another embodiment of the present invention, the control device of the massage apparatus contains a rotor formed by alternately joining circular insulating plates having a certain thickness and circular metal plates, the diameter of which is a little more small as the circular insulating plates and which have projections around their circumferences, a gear motor whose shaft is fixed in the center of the rotor, a phosphor bronze contact terminal, which slides smoothly on the circumference of each metal plate circular, and a phosphor bronze contact terminal, which slides smoothly on a face of the outermost circular metal plate, the latter phosphor bronze contact terminal being connected to a terminal of the power supply and each other phosphor bronze contact terminals being connected to the

massage cells.

  With the massage apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to modify the massage surface as well as the massage intensity as desired by simply pressing buttons to select the power, time, mode setting. of operation, etc., so as to cause the massage cells located in desired locations to act or to act all, separately or in groups, for a desired period of time, after the carpet has been fixed to a chair or a seat in a vehicle; in addition, in that the massage apparatus of the present invention is in the form of a carpet, its use is hardly dependent on the shape of the seat and it can also be spread on a bed on which one is layer, or

  it can be wrapped around an arm or a leg.

  These aims, features, aspects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent, as well as

  others, reading the detailed description

  following of the present invention, given by reference

attached drawings.

  Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a massage apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus of

massage installed on a seat.

  Fig 3 is a perspective view of a massage cell. FIG 4 is a sectional view taken along the line

A-A 'of FIG.

  Fig. 5 is a diagram of the control device of

the present invention.

  Figs. 6 (A) and 6 (B) illustrate another embodiment of the control device of the present invention. To refer to FIG. 1, massage cells 1 are arranged vertically in the desired number (for example, five out of four) and are covered with fabric or synthetic leather 2 on their upper and lower faces, and the layers of fabric or synthetic leather 2 are joined by seams between the cells, so as to form a carpet Then the massage cells 1 are connected to the device of

command 5 by a cable 4.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the massage cells 1 comprise two support pieces 8, 8 'which each comprise a groove in the central part and which are assembled by rivets 9, a motor 7 which is installed in the grooves of the support pieces 8, 8 'and has an eccentric weight 11 fixed to its shaft, so that the support pieces are vibrated by the rotation of the weight

eccentric 11.

  Referring to Fig. 5 showing an embodiment of a control unit 5 of the present invention, the control unit 5 comprises a timer circuit 20 for adjusting the power supply time of the massage cells, a circuit mode selection circuit 21 for selecting a sequence operating mode and a continuous operating mode, a control signal generating circuit 22 for producing a control signal corresponding to the program incorporated therein and the output signal of the programmer circuit 20 and mode selection circuit 21, and a switch circuit 23 for powering / de-energizing the power supply of the

massage cells.

  The programmer circuit 20 is a conventional integrated circuit timer and comprises a timekeeper integrated circuit ICI, capacitors C1, C2, resistors Ri, R 2, a variable resistor VR 1, a

  transistor Q 1, a relay Ry, a button switch

  push button SW 1 for switching on and a button

  Pusher SW 2 for shutdown The mode selection circuit 21 contains an integrated circuit IC 2 for producing rectangular wave signals, an on / off switch SW 3 for the selection of operating modes, resistors R 5, R 6 and a capacitor C 5, and it also contains an auxiliary supply circuit comprising a transistor Q 2, resistors R 3, R 4 and capacitors C 3, C 4 so

  to provide stabilized DC power.

  The control signal generator circuit 22 contains a counter integrated circuit IC 3 in the form of a 12-bit binary counter and a programmable fixed memory (RON) 14 in which a program is incorporated When the output signals of the integrated circuit IC 3 are delivered to the programmable fixed memory IC 4, the signals are combined on the basis of the program incorporated in the programmable fixed memory IC 4, to produce different output signals of the programmable fixed memory IC 4. For example, the output signal of the programmable fixed memory IC 4 activates successively and one by one each transistor QS to Q 6 and, after a short period, all the transistors Q 3 to Q 6 are activated simultaneously, the same process is repeated a number of times, then the odd-numbered transistors are enabled, followed by those with even numbers, the entire

  process is then repeated continuously.

  In addition, the switching circuit 23 is provided with transistors Q 3 -Q 6, each of which has its base which is connected to the output of the programmable fixed memory IC 4, its collector which is connected to a terminal of the power supply. in direct current lborne minus C-) l and its transmitter which is connected by one of the cables L1-L4 to the terminal of one of the motors 7 which are

attached to the massage cells 1.

  Furthermore, the massage intensity control circuit 24 is provided with a resistor R 11 and a switch SW 4, a terminal of which is connected to a common terminal lborne plus (+) l of the motors of the massage cells and the other terminal is connected to the DC power supply for controlling the massage intensity. Reference numeral 3 denotes a strap for fixing said carpet and the number

  reference numeral 6 denotes a socket.

  The operation of the massage apparatus according to the

The present invention is as follows.

  When the push-button switch SW 1 is pressed, the relay Ry is activated for the time (for example 30 min) defined by the value of the variable resistor VR 1 and the capacitor C 2, which results in that each control circuit 5 is supplied with direct current, while the auxiliary supply circuit Q 2, R 3, R 4, C 3 and C 4 supplies the stabilized DC power to the mode selection circuit 21 and the control signal generator circuit 22. When the switch SW 3 is open, the mode selection circuit 21 produces a series of rectangular wave signals having an interval (for example 3 s) defined by the value of the resistors R 5, R 6 and the capacitor C 5 But when the switch SW 3 is closed, the mode selection circuit 21 stops producing the rectangular wave signals Thus, in cases where the switch SW 3 is open, the counter IC 3 of the control signal generator circuit 2 2 counts the number of rectangular wave signals and successively and repeatedly produces a signal on

each of its output terminals.

  The output signals of the binary counter IC 3 are then sent to the programmable fixed memory IC 4 and the latter combines the signals received on the basis of the program incorporated therein and produces signals corresponding to the various modes mentioned above.

its four output terminals.

  Each transistor Q 3 -Q 6 of the switch circuit 23 is turned on and off according to the order and the specific time intervals on the basis of the signals which have different modes, so that the massage cells divided into four groups vibrate in the same way. 'order

  and during specific time intervals.

  When the on / off switch SW 3 of the mode selection circuit 21 is pressed during operation of the massager, desired massage cells or all of the massage cells are vibrated. For example, when the switch is operating When SW 3 is pressed while desired massage cells are in vibration, the mode selection circuit 21 stops generating rectangular wave signals, so that the counter circuit IC 3 of the control signal generator circuit 22 also stops counting them and that the output signals from the fixed memory IC 4 remain in the state they were in when the on / off switch SW 3 was pressed As a result, only the massage cells which were vibrating at when the on / off switch SW 3 was pressed

  remain in the operating state.

  On the other hand, in the case where the on / off switch SW 3 is pressed while all the massage cells are vibrating, all the massage cells of the massage apparatus continue.

to vibrate simultaneously.

  Although the timer circuit 20 turns on the massage apparatus for a fixed time, the pressure of the push-button switch SW 2 has the effect of cutting off the power supply of the massage apparatus and

  to stop thus its operation.

  When the on / off switch SW 3 of the mode selection circuit 21 is pressed during operation of the massager, a desired massage cell or all of the massage cells is vibrated. For example, when the switch is operating When SW 3 is pressed while desired massage cells are in vibration, the mode selection circuit 21 stops generating rectangular wave signals, so that the counter circuit IC 3 of the control signal generator circuit 22 also stops counting the number of rectangular wave signals so as to successively and repeatedly produce a signal on each of its output terminals. The output signals of the integrated circuit counter IC 3 are then delivered to the memory programmable fixed IC 4, which combines the received signals on the basis of the program incorporated in it and which produces, on its four output terminals, ns the various aforementioned modes Each transistor Q 3 -Q 6 of the switch circuit 23 is activated or deactivated in the order and according to the specific time intervals

  based on the signals in the different modes.

  In addition, the massage intensity can be adjusted by means of the on / off switch SW 4 of the massage intensity control circuit 24 When the switch SW 4 is closed, the DC power supply (12 V> is supplied to each motor of the massage cells without voltage drop, whereby the speed of said motors increases and as a result, the intensity of massage increases as a result of the increase

speed.

  On the other hand, when the switch SW 4 is open, the power supply (12 V) is supplied to the motors via the resistor R 1 t, whereby the speed of said motors decreases and

  as a result, the massage intensity is lowered.

  FIGS. 6 (A) and 6 (B) show another embodiment of the control device. The control device 5 'comprises a rotor A formed by the alternating assembly of circular insulating plates 40 of a certain thickness and thickness. circular metal plates 41 having a diameter a little smaller than that of the circular insulating plates 40 and having projections 42 all around their circumferences The shaft 44 of a gear motor 43 is fixed to the center of the rotor A Contact terminals 47 in phosphor bronze are in elastic contact with the circumference of each circular metal plate 41 and with a portion of each circular insulating plate 40, and a phosphor bronze contact terminal 45 is in elastic contact with the face of the metal plate

  circular 41 which is located the outermost.

  The lengths 1 of the various projections 42 and the gaps 1 'between the projections 42 are different from each other, and the circular metal plates 41 placed between the circular insulating plates 40 are brought into mutual electrical contact by the shaft 44 of the motor. gearbox 43 or by the rivets that unite

the plates 40, 41.

  As in the first embodiment, the other end of the phosphor bronze contact terminals 47 is connected to each group of cells.

  massage 1 divided into four groups.

  In the massager according to the second embodiment, when the rotor A is rotated by the geared motor 43, each phosphor bronze contact terminal 47 slides resiliently over a portion of each circular insulating plate 40 and each

circular metal plate 41.

  At the moment when a phosphor bronze contact terminal 47 comes into electrical contact with a projection of the circular metal plate 41 placed between two of the circular insulating plates 40, it is electrically connected to the contact terminal 45 made of phosphor bronze by the circular metal plate 47 or by the circular metal plate 47 and the shaft 44, from which it follows that a continuous current is supplied to the massage cells 1 via these terminals, 47 and cables L1-L 4 , which makes the

massage cells.

  On the other hand, when the terminal 47 leaves the projection 42, this operation stops, in that the terminal 47

  is spaced from the circular metal plate 41.

  Thus, by combining the lengths 1 of the projections 42, the gaps 1 'between these projections 42 and the arrangement of the projections 42 on the circumferences of the metal plates 41, it is possible to obtain different output signals, which means that each massage cell of the massager can be controlled in different modes, as well as in the

first embodiment.

  It has been described what is currently considered the preferred embodiment of the present invention, but it is understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in said embodiments, the output of the controller 5, 5 'consists of only four signals, but this number can be

increased as needed.

  Further, in said embodiments, the massage cells are divided into four groups and each of the four groups is controlled according to each output signal of the controller 5, 5 ', but each massage cell can be controlled by function of each output signal of the device

order 5,5 '.

Claims (4)

  A massage apparatus comprising a massage mat with a multiplicity of massage cells and a control device for respectively controlling the massage cells, wherein the massage cells are arranged in several lateral and vertical rows, wrapped in tissue or tissue. synthetic leather and assembled by seams in the manner of a flat panel, these cells respectively comprising a support frame and a motor, the motor being fixed on an inner part of the support frame and being provided with a   eccentric weight attached to his tree.   An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a timer circuit (20) for controlling the power supply time, a mode selection circuit (21) for selecting a sequential operating mode or a control mode. continuous operation, a control signal generating circuit (22) for generating signals as a function of the output signals of the programmer circuit (20), the mode selection circuit (21) and an incorporated program, and a switch circuit (23) for energizing / de-energizing the power supply of massage cells (1).   An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a massage intensity control circuit (24)   to control the intensity of the massage.   Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller contains a rotor (A) formed by alternately joining circular insulating plates (40) having a certain thickness and circular metal plates (41), the diameter of which is one little smaller than that of the circular insulating plates (40) and which each comprise projections (42) around their circumference, a gear motor (43) whose shaft is fixed at the center of the rotor (A), a contact terminal in phosphor bronze (47), which smoothly slides on the circumference of each circular metal plate (41) and a portion of each circular insulating plate (40), and a phosphor bronze contact terminal (45), which slides smoothly on a face of the outermost circular metal plate, the latter phosphor bronze contact terminal (45) being connected to a terminal of the power supply and each of the other terminals of the ct in phosphor bronze (47) being connected massage cells.